The Col de la Ramaz is a popular cycling climb in the French Alps. It’s located in the Haute-Savoie region of France, near the town of Cluses. The climb is well known for its stunning views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Aiguilles Rouges mountain range.
Other popular climbs nearby include the Col de Joux Plane, Col de la Colombière, and Col des Aravis.
There are two ways to climb the Col de la Ramaz.
- From Mieussy (southwest)
- From Taninges (south)
Starting point : Mieussy
Mieussy is located in the Haute-Savoie region of France and is an excellent destination for cyclists. The town offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Many cyclists prefer to base themselves at Cluses (16km), Annecy (34km) and Geneva (55km).
The climb from Mieussy to the Col de la Ramaz is 13.9km long and averages 7%.
| Col de la Ramaz from Mieussy | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 13.9km |
| Climb category | HC |
| Elevation gain | 981m |
| Minimum elevation | 635m |
| Maximum elevation | 1,601m |
| Average gradient | 7.0% |
| Maximum gradient | 15.0% |
| Strava segment | Col de la Ramaz from Mieussy |
Starting point : Taninges
Taninges is a lovely town nestled in the foothills of the French Alps and is a popular destination for cyclists.
The actual climb starts from Fry, about 8km outside Taninges, after turning off from D902 to D307. From here, it’s 8.6km and 7.6% average gradient to Col de la Ramaz.
| Col de la Ramaz from Taninges | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 8.6km |
| Climb category | 1 |
| Elevation gain | 894m |
| Minimum elevation | 961m |
| Maximum elevation | 1,618m |
| Average gradient | 7.6% |
| Maximum gradient | 43.4% |
| Strava segment | Col de la Ramaz from Taninges |
Col de la Ramaz in the Tour de France
Col de la Ramaz is a Category 1 climb featured in the Tour de France three times in 2003, 2010, 2016, and 198 with the climb from Mieussy.
Richard Virenque took the leader’s jersey after winning Stage 7 of the 2003 Tour de France. Col de la Ramaz is the penultimate climb before the long descent to the finish in Morzine.
| Year | Stage | Category | Start | Finish | First to summit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 20 | 1 | Megève | Morzine | Thomas de Gendt |
| 2010 | 8 | 1 | Station des Rousses | Morzine-Avoriaz | Mario Aerts |
| 2003 | 7 | 1 | Lyon | Morzine | Richard Virenque |
| 1981 | 16 | 1 | Thonon-les-Bains | Morzine | Hubert Linard |